Entertainment and Controversy-No Holds Barred!

Tag Archives: Carl Jung

It’s been awhile. I’ve been pre-occupied with various projects– the latest of which is my first documentary film, “Because Of Xena.” But last night was different; last night I was pre-occupied with the news of Mindy McCready’s suicide, and the (mostly negative) reactions blowing up the Twitterverse.

I’ll admit, when I first heard of the tragic news, I retweeted the breaking news article with these words: “Another of @drdrew patients gone.” My intentions were not meant to be malicious however– not like the thousands of tweets which followed.

The unflattering comparison was reported by Perez Hilton some 10 hours ago via washed up musician, Richard Marx. Hilton’s opening statement, “Whoa. This might be a bit harsh,” is 100% accurate. The slew of hateful comments directed at Dr. Drew, along with Marx’s Kevorkian comparison, are grossly unjust. The aforementioned accusations only prove how seriously uneducated society is when it comes to mental illness and drug addiction. It is because of this that stigma continues to linger in the 21st century.

What of those who are not celebrities? I hate to break it to you, but there are thousands of faces in the crowd suffering in silence.

Men are nearly 4 times more likely to die by suicide than women. Women attempt suicide 3 times as often as men.

Now here’s a sad truth: It wouldn’t have mattered whether it was Dr. Drew, Carl Jung, or Freud himself who treated Mindy McCready. The patient must be held accountable for their own actions. They must choose to continue treatment and follow doctors orders. Does this mean they will? Certainly not. That’s the price of mental illness itself and the stigma which follows behind it.

For much of my life I’ve struggled with acceptance- particularly where it concerns my path and/or purpose in life.

Specific events relating to my personal life have inspired me to further investigate the juxtaposition between personality types in both the spiritual and psychological sense, and how they affect our life path.

The MBTI(Meyers Briggs Type Indicator) is the most commonly used test. It is ” an assessment psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.” These psychological preferences derived from the typological theories posed by Carl Jung.

“Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships, and material possessions. Want to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common good. Organized and decisive in implementing their vision.”

For the most part this is true. But- “seeking meaning and connection in idea’s and relationships; wanting to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others,” best describes my personal state of mind. In other words, I am an empath, pure in form.

From nearly 20 years of work in the psychiatric and spiritual fields, Dr. Drew Ross developed what is known as “spiritual personality types.” According to Dr. Ross, ” Spiritual personalities are different types of approaches to the world, and to spiritual inquiry.” One question that is frequently posed is whether or not the spiritual personality test is the same as many of the other personality tests out there. “The test has some of the same basic approaches to types of personality, but it is mostly new. We don’t use much of the same terminology as older tests,” says Dr. Ross.

It comes as no surprise to me that I fall under category 10, the Salumer, the shaman. There are more than a few of the Salumer’s characteristics that fall in line with my MBTI personality.

Once again, use of the noun empath seems appropriate.

Here are some highlights of the Salumer, and they’re eerily on par with my personal issues.

Special Talents- The ability to see blockages and confusion, and to help others to find a path through and beyond them.

Challenges- The main ill on the planet is forgetting deep truth, and it can be overwhelming. You don’t have to heal the whole thing by tomorrow.

Relationship Issues– There is a danger in falling in love with someone who seems as though they will become great under your care. Your job in relationships is to find your equal, not someone who can benefit from your healing.

Emotional Issues– On the positive side, you can feel great release and relief with your many epiphanies and realizations. On the negative side, be careful not to take in too much of others’ suffering and pain — it is not yours.

Let’s just say that I have yet to master these “gifts” of mine. I regularly find myself in painful situations.